London house prices are now more than double the rest of the UK April 2, 2014 LONDON’S house prices have soared to historic levels, with the gap between prices in the capital and elsewhere in the UK expanding to the widest it has ever been. Figures released by Nationwide yesterday showed that the cost of a typical London home – at £362,699 in March – was over twice as high as [...]
How Labour will transform politics – and public services – by devolving more powers to London September 22, 2014 ANYONE who campaigned in the Scottish referendum felt the strength of anger directed towards Westminster. And it’s not confined to Scotland. The same anger is felt in London, Manchester and across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. People feel Westminster and Whitehall are completely out of touch with their lives. This is no surprise. Britain is [...]
Does London need its own housing minister? April 2, 2014 Tory minister Kris Hopkins caused something of a storm on Newsnight yesterday, by appearing relatively blase about the rocketing cost of housing in the UK. “If I I buy a house I expect the value to rise,” said Hopkins, who was equally laid back about the country’s shortage of accommodation. “I don’t want to put [...]
First day of Smithfield market battle kicks off February 11, 2014 The battle over the future of Smithfield begun in earnest today as the developers Henderson and the opponents SAVE gathered in a crowded room above the Guildhall art gallery for the first day of the public inquiry. The 12-day trial begun with all sides, including City of London Corporation and the Greater London Authority giving [...]
Scottish independence: Better Together should emphasise increased social welfare powers, parliamentary group says September 10, 2014 The Better Together campaign should focus on the greater powers it would give Scotland over social welfare as part of its 11th-hour devo max offer, a new report has said. Although the All Party Parliamentary Taxation Group – or APPTG for short – recognised that the Westminster leaders have not given specifics on what [...]
Tougher ecigarette regulation will damage public health on a big scale, say experts August 1, 2014 The good news keeps on rolling for the advocates of ecigarettes, with a new study published in the Journal of Addiction concluding that the devices are much less harmful than regular cigarettes and should not to be subjected to the same regulations faced by conventional tobacco. "Current evidence suggests that there is a potential for [...]
Secrets of London part II: Our homebuyer’s guide reveals more hidden gems October 3, 2014 In the second part of our series on hidden London, we reveal the secrets and ancient artefacts living side-by-side with some London’s newest and most innovative residential architecture. Here are just some of the treasures future homeowners will be living alongside, including Ernest Hemingway’s favourite riverside pub in London, a tribute to the [...]
Any other business – 18/10 October 17, 2013 While Mayor of London Boris Johnson is away on an official visit to China, the Greater London Authority (GLA) is still hard at work. Just yesterday, City Hall released a report into the economic contribution of “Older Londoners”, finding that despite popular misconceptions, the capital’s elderly residents contribute £53bn to the economy. However, the GLA’s [...]
Boris Johnson calls in plans for £1bn Convoys Wharf scheme October 31, 2013 LONDON mayor Boris Johnson has taken over control of the planning process for the £1bn regeneration of Convoys Wharf in south east London, after a clash between the developer and the council. Ambitious plans to regenerate Deptford by building 3,500 homes, a new wharf, a hotel and three new towers were submitted to Lewisham council [...]
London really is hotter than surrounding countryside July 10, 2014 If you feel a little chilly when travelling out of London to the countryside, you're probably not imagining it. Researchers at Yale University in the US have shown that urban areas really are hotter than the rural areas around them, and that the difference is biggest in wet places like rainy London. Published [...]